biodegradable

American  

[bahy-oh-di-grey-duh-buhl] / ˌbaɪ oʊ dɪˈgreɪ də bəl /

adjective

1. capable of decaying through the action of living organisms.

   biodegradable paper; biodegradable detergent.

---

biodegradable British  

/ ˌbaɪəʊˌdɛɡrəˈdeɪʃən, ˌbaɪəʊdɪˈɡreɪdəbəl, ˌbaɪəʊˌdɛɡreɪdɪˈbɪlɪtɪ /

adjective

1. (of sewage constituents, packaging material, etc) capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other biological means

---

biodegradable Scientific  

/ bī′ō-dĭ-grā′də-bəl /

1. Capable of being decomposed by the action of biological agents, especially bacteria.

---

biodegradable Cultural  

1. Material that, left to itself, will be decomposed by natural processes.

---

Discover More

The use of biodegradable packaging is supposed to reduce the volume of waste in landfills.

Other Word Forms

• biodegradability noun
• biodegradation noun
• nonbiodegradable adjective

Etymology

Origin of biodegradable

First recorded in 1960–65; bio- + degrade + -able

Explanation

If something is biodegradable, it can decompose naturally. When you're out camping, you shouldn't leave anything behind and certainly nothing that isn't biodegradable. A plastic bottle is the antithesis of biodegradable — it will be there forever. When you think environmentally friendly, you're thinking biodegradable, and truly environmentally friendly substances degrade quickly into harmless components. What makes something biodegradable is that the decomposition is done by means of living organisms, such as bacteria. When you put earthworms into your compost, they're the living organisms that are assisting you with the decomposition.

Example Sentences

It takes up to 120 biodegradable Tuftext-brand latex balloons spaced about 12 feet apart to create the chain, Bose said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Bodies are wrapped in a shroud of biodegradable material such as silk or wool before being placed in a pressurised chamber with hot water and chemicals, speeding up decomposition.

From BBC • Mar. 2, 2026

Microbial testing found bacterial colony levels remained within acceptable limits for non-antimicrobial biodegradable films, suggesting low toxicity.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2026

As they reach old age, the business of burial is poised for an influx of money and new ideas, including biodegradable coffins and holograms of the deceased to display as digital memorials.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

She wanted to do paper lanterns, but I said no, because even the biodegradable ones aren’t good for the earth.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy